Lipid Profile in Patients with Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

Sohn, Won Yong; Lee, Seok Hyun; Min, Kyung Ku; Nam, Hyuck Woo; Kim, Hack Jun

Abstract

PURPOSE
Many articles have proposed that osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is caused by fat embolism or intravascular coagulation linked to hyperlipidemia. To determine whether hyperlipidemia is an associated factor for ONFH, serum lipid levels were measured.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Nighty-eight patients presenting with ONFH and 110 controls were investigated. We compared the average value of serum lipid levels and the incidence of hyperlipidemia of the two groups.
RESULTS
ONFH group showed generalized increase in lipid level and statistically significant difference in the average value of total cholesterol (P=0.0001), HDL-cholesterol (P=0.0261) and phospholipid (P=0.0465) compared with the control. The incidence of hyperlipidemia of the two groups showed statistically significant difference in HDL-cholesterol (P=0.019) and triglyceride (P=0.024).
CONCLUSION
Hyperlipidemia seems to be associated with pathogenesis of ONFH. We speculated that hyperlipidemia might be a contributing factor of ONFH. Hyperlipidemia may play a role as a triggering factor in the pathogenetic process that results in osteonecrosis. However, it can not be ruled out that secondary hyperlipidemia might be a finding following ONFH.